


RC & LB & AF Forever

by cyberleviathan



Category: Happy Days
Genre: 1960s, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Male Character, F/M, Fix-it fic, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Period-Typical Homophobia, Pining, Polyamory, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-07-16 08:50:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16082678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyberleviathan/pseuds/cyberleviathan
Summary: Richie cheating on Lori Beth is from the episode “Casanova Cunningham.”





	1. Chapter 1

As soon as he got home from the garage, Fonzie stopped by Richie’s room to check on the baby.

(It wasn’t Richie’s room anymore, it was Lori Beth and the baby’s room. But Fonzie still thought of it as Richie’s room, even though once he came back he was probably going to get his own place, with Lori Beth, away from his parents and Joanie and Fonzie.)

It was quiet as he entered. Lori Beth was sitting on the bed, reading a letter. It was probably from Richie, not that Fonzie cared. Lori Beth was Richie’s wife. Of course Richie would write to her, specifically.

Fonzie knocked on the door to get her attention, then let himself in.

“Busy day?”

“I just got Richie to go to sleep. I think he might be coming down with something.”

As if on cue, a loud cry burst from the crib. Lori Beth shut her eyes in disbelief and began to get up.

“I’ll take this one,” Fonzie said, and Lori Beth sat back down as Fonzie picked up Junior. She didn’t say anything, but watched as Fonzie rocked the baby until he stopped crying and he drifted off to sleep, a warm weight in Fonzie’s arms.

Lori Beth stood up and approached Fonzie as he set Junior down in his crib, careful to set his head on the pillow.

“Sometimes I think Richie likes you more than he likes me,” Lori Beth said quietly.

Fonzie smiled as he watched Junior’s chest rise and fall. “You’re his mom. I’m not going to get in the way of that.”

“Not the Richie I meant,” Lori Beth gently corrected without looking at Fonzie.

Fonzie wouldn’t say he was surprised. Caught a little off-guard, maybe. But he didn’t show it, he just kept looking at Junior sleep.

Richie probably did like Fonzie better than anyone else. It was just how things were.

Fonzie just didn’t think Lori Beth had noticed.

Had Richie told her? It wouldn’t make much sense to do that, but Richie always had been on the goody-two-shoes side. Maybe he figured it was only fair to tell his wife about the time he and his best friend had necked after his high school graduation.

But why now? Had he suddenly felt guilty about it four years later? Or had he told Lori Beth earlier, and she was only getting mad about it just now?

Or Richie hadn’t told her anything, and Lori Beth was mad because she thought things were more serious than that. Because she didn’t realize that even if there were moments where Fonzie wanted to kiss Richie senseless, and even if Richie developed a habit of staring at Fonzie when he thought nobody was looking, nothing was going to come of it.

It almost had, once; the night before Richie reported for basic training. Richie had convinced Fonzie to take him to a bar, a little out of the way, for the night.

They didn’t actually do much drinking, or at least, Fonzie didn’t. Richie downed two beers and almost fell out of his seat, and Fonzie decided that it was time for them to go home.  
When they left the bar, Richie leaned over and rested his head on Fonzie’s shoulder, like it was the most natural thing in the world to do. Their arms bumped together, and Richie took the opportunity to take Fonzie by the hand, threading their fingers together.

“Rich,” Fonzie said. He meant it as a warning, because they were in the middle of the street, and even in the dark anyone could see them.

Richie just laughed and continued cozying up to Fonzie, going so far as to press his face into the crook of Fonzie’s neck and breathe hot against it, before moving so he and Fonzie were nose-to-nose.

Fonzie could feel the rise and fall of Richie’s chest, the steady beat of his heart, the smell of alcohol on his breath and the aftershave he used despite not being able to grow facial hair just yet.

In the light from the headlights of passing cars, Fonzie could make out Richie smiling at him, almost shyly, almost invitingly.

Richie didn’t know what he was doing. He was tipsy and nervous about leaving town, that was all.

Fonzie took Richie’s hands and moved them down to his sides.

“I think it’s time to head back. Don’t you?”

Richie didn’t take his eyes off Fonzie, looking at him with wide open eyes and slightly parted lips.

“Rich?” Fonzie prompted.

Richie nodded and looked at the sidewalk. “Yeah. We should probably head back now.”

He didn’t look at Fonzie the entire way home.

The next day, Richie shipped out. It was like that night had never happened, and that was for the best.

Fonzie’s no homewrecker. He doesn’t take what isn’t his, and Richie was never his to take, even before he got married.

He didn’t say any of this to Lori Beth, because if Richie hadn’t told her, then he wasn’t going to.

“Richie likes you, too.”

It was a stupid thing to say; of course Richie liked Lori Beth, he married her. But Lori Beth relaxed a little and even smiled.

“I guess that’s the problem, isn’t it?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Richie cheating on Lori Beth is from the episode “Casanova Cunningham.”

Lori Beth would never say so out loud, but part of her thinks Richie enlisted to get away from her and Fonzie and the mess of everything.

If she’s feeling charitable, Richie did it to get perspective. Joining the army and potentially risking his life helped him realize what he really wanted, and that was to start a family with Lori Beth.

If she’s not, Richie is a coward who ran away from everything and couldn’t even propose to her in person.

Generally, it can go either way.

——

On their honeymoon, Lori Beth brought up Fonzie for the first time.

They’d never talked about Fonzie before; first because Lori Beth had assumed they didn’t need to, then because she wasn’t sure how to ask Richie if he was queer and in love with his best friend.

They were in bed together, tangled up in sheets and each other. The only source of light was the moon through the window, and Richie almost seemed to glow in the silvery light.

Lori Beth wondered to herself if Fonzie had ever seen Richie like this, and that was probably why she said “Fonzie probably misses you.”

She could make out Richie smiling. “I miss him too.”

“I used to think you were a little bit in love with him.”

Richie laughed at that, a high-pitched, uncomfortable sound.

“A lot of people were a - a little bit in love with him.”

He hadn’t denied it, Lori Beth noted with a twinge in her stomach.

“Was he in love with any of them back?” she asked.

Richie didn’t answer her, at first. He looked like he had just been punched in the stomach and didn’t want to let on how much it hurt.

“I don’t think he was,” he said after a moment of consideration. “I think - I think he thought he was. It just never lasted longer than a night.”

“Are you speaking from experience?”

She said it without thinking, and immediately regretted it, even before she saw Richie’s reaction.

He sat up, hurt and terror in his eyes.

“Lori Beth, I’m not - he’s not -“

“It’s fine if you are.” Lori Beth wasn’t entirely sure why she said that; of course it wasn’t fine if Richie was using her to prove that he wasn’t queer. But now wasn’t the time to say so, and Lori Beth just wanted Richie to calm down was all.

“Well, I’m not. How could you even think -“

“I didn’t mean anything by it, okay? I don’t think you’re -“

“Okay, good. I’m glad we have that out of the way.”

Lori Beth waited for Richie to calm down and lay back down, and he eventually did, settling against Lori Beth.

Before she drifted off, Richie said “Even if I - I was - you know, it wouldn’t matter. I chose you. You won.”

Lori Beth thought to herself that she hadn’t known it was a competition.

——

Lori Beth had always known that Richie and Fonzie were close. Even when Richie had been just another face in the crowd at Jefferson High, he’d been the guy always hanging around The Fonz.

It didn’t seem important, at first. Fonzie was background noise to Lori Beth, always there but easily tuned out. They only had one conversation, at a party. Richie had excused himself to talk to someone on the paper, while Fonzie’s date was off powdering her nose. Lori Beth had asked Fonzie vague questions about his work as a mechanic, to which Fonzie responded with one-word answers without taking his eyes off Richie.

When Richie walked back towards them, and Fonzie patted Richie’s back for slightly longer than seemed strictly necessary, Lori Beth got the vague sense that maybe they were closer than friends usually were.

After that, she kept noticing little things. Like all the times Fonzie moved to touch Richie, only to notice Lori Beth there and stop. Or how if Fonzie’s eyes weren’t on his latest fling, they were squarely on Richie. Or when someone so much as mentioned Fonzie around Richie, and he got this goofy sort of smile for a split second.

It didn't bother Lori Beth, at first. Fonzie being - interested in Richie didn’t necessarily mean Richie was interested back. If he was, then he wouldn’t be with Lori Beth. Richie’s a decent guy, and he wouldn’t lie to her or use her.

And then Richie admitted to her that he lied to her, took another girl out, and kissed her, and Lori Beth didn'tknow what to think, except maybe _he told Fonzie before he told me_. It still hurt, even after they start over again with a clean slate.

——

Lori Beth was overjoyed at the proposal.

It wasn’t until later that the problems became apparent; namely, how to get six hundred dollars for a plane ticket to Greenland so she can get married.

She doesn’t accept the money from anyone - it’s too much money, and she doesn’t want to feel like she owes anyone. Especially not Fonzie, who apparently can’t take a hint and keeps offering to pay her fare. It’s entirely for Richie, Lori Beth knows, because he’s not her friend. Outside of both being in love with Richie, they don’t have anything in common. It feels like he's rubbing it in, how he's known Richie longer than she has, how he's as big a part of Richie's life as she is, how he's even more a part of his family than she is.

By the time the wedding rolls around, and Lori Beth has to marry Richie to be allowed on the army base, she’s a little more willing to let Fonzie help. Him standing in for Richie does make sense, as much as Lori Beth doesn’t like to admit it, since he’s the one closest to Richie (maybe even including her). And the wedding itself is nothing short of wonderful.

Or at least it would have been, if Lori Beth could get the image of Fonzie, about to call Richie, looking like his heart had been ripped out of his chest, out of her head.

——

Lori Beth came back from her honeymoon newly confused about where she fits into Richie-and-Fonzie and where Fonzie fits into Richie-and-Lori Beth. She doesn’t have time to dwell on it, though, because a month later she realizes she’s pregnant, and that seems somewhat more important.

She’s not alone. She has Marion’s help, and Joanie’s, and Howard’s, and, yes, Fonzie’s.

Part of Lori Beth feels strange asking Fonzie to come to birthing class with her, but he was Richie’s proxy once and he seems willing to be Richie’s proxy again. And truth be told, Lori Beth knows she can trust him to do right by the baby. Maybe Richie is the only thing she and Fonzie have in common, but friendships have been built on less.

Fonzie takes his role as surrogate father very, very seriously, from checking out Dr. Spock from the library to checking up on the baby at all hours to, on one memorable occasion, bringing home a mobile made of old car parts. Lori Beth is, reluctantly, impressed.

——

One day, Lori Beth came home to find Fonzie sitting on the couch, Richie Jr. in his lap, half-cradled in his arms, head resting on Fonzie’s chest as Fonzie smiled wholeheartedly at Richie Jr.

Lori Beth wished, more than anything, that Richie could be here to see this.

She sat down next to Fonzie, holding her arms out. “May I?”

“I just got him to sleep,” Fonzie protested, carefully wrapping his arms around the baby. “Just let me have this.”

Lori Beth shrugged. “Alright. I just thought you’d want to get that drool off of your jacket.”

Fonzie’s eyes widened, and he glanced down at his jacket in panic. Then he noticed Lori Beth biting the inside of her cheek, and he relaxed.

“You’re not funny,” he told Lori Beth as she giggled, but he was almost smiling, so he probably didn’t mean it.

It suddenly occurred to her that one day, this was going to end.

Richie will come back from Greenland and the army, and he and Lori Beth will get to be married in person instead of over the phone or over mail. They’ll move away from Howard and Marion, maybe visit them every few months. Richie will go to work every morning and Lori Beth will stay home with the kids.

And Fonzie will...do something. Lori Beth’s not sure what. She can’t really imagine him not being a part of their lives, and even if she could, she’s not sure she wants to.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s implied sexual content in this chapter that takes place late in season 4, when Richie is 18.

Fonzie had always been pretty sure Richie was a little in love with him.

He’d been sure of it all the way back to when Richie was just another nerd hanging on Fonzie’s every word, desperately trying to impress him, shooting little glances at him when he thought Fonzie wouldn’t notice.

Once he met Richie’s parents, once he got comfortable thinking of Richie as a friend, once he moved in over Richie’s garage, things got...complicated, and Richie stopped being just a face in the crowd who was kind of cute, if you were into that sort of thing.

Fonzie wasn’t, for the record. He liked women. It was as simple as that. And even if he was interested in guys - which he wasn’t - they’d be intense and solid and dark. James Dean, Marlon Brando, the Lone Ranger. Not lanky freckled redheads who looked like Howdy Doody.

That was what he told himself whenever Richie got a little too close, whenever Fonzie grabbed and held on to him for too long, whenever his thoughts wandered with a girl.

Graduation kind of ruined that.

Fonzie was high on the knowledge that he was just as good, that he had worked as hard as anyone in that auditorium, and the look in Richie’s eyes; like Fonzie was the only person there, or at least the only person there who mattered.

Fonzie could have gotten used to that.

Richie kept sneaking glances at him on the way back from Jefferson High, like he wanted to look but didn’t want Fonzie to know he was looking.

There was a party after the ceremony down at Arnold’s. Fonzie didn’t get involved, much - after graduation itself, this just felt kind of anticlimactic.

Richie disappeared halfway through, so Fonzie went to look for him. He eventually found Richie outside, sitting against a wall, his robe off and folded on his lap as he stared at nothing in particular.

He looked up as Fonzie approached him and sat down next to him.

“This is supposed to be a party, you know.”

Richie had laughed at that. “Yeah, I know. I’m just...” He trailed off and shook his head. “It’s nothing.”

“If it really was nothing, you wouldn’t be out here when everyone else is inside.”

Richie laughed again. “You know, you can take off the robe now.”

“Cunningham, if you’re trying to get me naked, you could at least wait until we’re alone.”

Richie’s face turned red. Fonzie half-expected him to say that he’d just forgotten what Fonzie had told him about not wearing anything under his robe. Then they could pretend this never happened, and everything would go back to normal.

Instead, Richie asked “You - you don’t really mean that, do you?”

He was trying to sound casual, but the way he asked do you almost made it sound like that was what he’d wanted it to mean. And the way he was looking at Fonzie - almost hungry, in a way - there was nothing casual about that.

Fonzie hadn’t expected Richie to take it seriously. He hadn’t expected to feel oddly excited about it, either.

It seemed possible, right here, right now, in a way it never had before.

But not when everyone they knew was right inside.

So Fonzie settled for patting Richie on the back before he stood up.

“Maybe after the party.”

——

Fonzie hadn’t expected Richie to show up at his apartment later. He certainly hadn’t been waiting for him or anything like that.

Richie smiled as soon as Fonzie let him in. Neither of them said anything at first, like they were both waiting for the other to make the first move.

Fonzie did, eventually. He stood up, so he and Richie were right next to one another.

Richie took that as a cue to step closer, until they were chest to chest, close enough to feel every breath.

It shouldn’t have felt like a big deal. There had never been any problem with invading each other’s personal space before.

Richie’s eyes flickered down to Fonzie’s lips. “Have you done this before?”

Fonzie shrugged, which technically wasn’t a lie.

Richie asked “Should we sit down for this or...?”

”This is a good place to start.”

Richie licked his lips as his eyes flicked down again.

He reached out and took Fonzie by the hand, lightly running his thumb over a callus as he looked at Fonzie, shy and excited, scared and delighted, and it was easy - too easy - for Fonzie to lean over and kiss him.

Richie groaned against Fonzie and leaned into him, not letting go of his hand all the while.

And then they were necking.

Richie wrapped himself around Fonzie like he wanted to fold himself in on him. One thing led to another, and if Fonzie had known that this was going to happen maybe he would’ve worn clothes under his robe. Or maybe he wouldn’t have, because it did make things simpler. Richie was clumsy and inexperienced, but he was eager, like he’d been aching for this, for Fonzie, for god knew how long.

When it was over and they’d collapsed together on Fonzie’s couch, foreheads bumping into one another, chests rising and falling in unison, Richie had let himself lean against Fonzie. It was easy and right and Fonzie had known at that exact moment that he was in trouble.

——

Fonzie hadn’t been looking forward to talking to Richie the next day.

What were they supposed to do now? Just keep doing what they’d been doing before? Did Richie want to do this regularly? Was Richie only into this in private, or was he going to do something stupid like ask Fonzie to go steady?

But Richie didn’t mention it at all that day, or the day after that, or the day after that, until a month had gone by and Fonzie wasn’t a little convinced the whole thing had been a very vivid dream (not that he had had dreams about Richie).

There were moments where Richie obviously wanted to talk about it, where he would look at Fonzie and open his mouth like he had something to say, only to close it and go back to whatever he had been doing.

Two could play at that game. If Richie was happy pretending it never happened, then so was Fonzie. And Fonzie knew Richie well enough to know that he couldn’t keep that up forever, that eventually he would crack and throw himself at Fonzie. And until then, they’d go on like nothing had changed.

And then Richie had gotten a girlfriend.

And alright, Fonzie had been the one to bring Richie to the library to meet girls. He hadn’t expected someone like Lori Beth to be there, someone Richie would like enough to stick around and take to every college function that needed a date (which was, apparently, most of them).

On the bright side, it meant Fonzie didn’t need to see much of Lori Beth outside of the occasional party. Just because Richie had a girlfriend now didn’t mean anything had to be different. It meant some things couldn’t change, but there wasn’t anything wrong with that.

So maybe Richie wasn’t interested in Fonzie the way he used to be. Maybe Richie just lost interest once he’d had his fun. But that was impossible; if Fonzie knew anything about Richie, he wasn’t the type to just lose interest in someone like that.

It was almost a relief when Richie made a pass at him before shipping out, because it meant Fonzie hadn’t been wr- had been right about this.

More than anything, he’d wanted to go ahead and give in. He’d wanted to take Richie somewhere private and kiss him silly, he’d wanted to do something to make him reconsider leaving town, leaving Fonzie.

But there were other things to think about, Lori Beth and the Cunninghams and whether Richie was sober enough to know that this was a bad idea. Whether this was just going to be another one-night fling that they’d pretend never happened in the morning.

It was another thing they just didn’t talk about - not that they could, with Richie in Greenland.

——

And then Richie proposed to Lori Beth in a letter. Fonzie wouldn’t say he expected that - who the hell proposes to someone in a letter?

He didn’t actually say that. Lori Beth was practically glowing with joy when she showed everyone the letter, and Fonzie couldn’t bring himself to ruin that for her.

Maybe that was why he volunteered later to be Richie’s proxy. If Richie and Lori Beth couldn’t have a real wedding, at least they’d have a wedding, and it would be thanks to Fonzie.

And yeah, it hurt to have Richie on the phone just for this, and maybe Fonzie did want to stop everything and ask Richie why he had done all this, enlisting and proposing to Lori Beth and leaving Fonzie.

But when he heard Richie’s voice on the other end, he forgot what he wanted to say, and that was for the best, because there was a wedding on the line.

It went off without a hitch.

——

Out of everything that could have happened next, Fonzie hadn’t expected becoming friends with Lori Beth. He barely spoke to her except when it was necessary, even after she got back from her honeymoon and moved into Richie’s old room.

But when she revealed she was pregnant, pregnant with Richie’s child, she didn’t have to ask him twice to come to birthing classes with her. Fonzie was Richie’s proxy once, he’ll be Richie’s proxy again.

It was tempting to just go to the classes with Lori Beth and leave it at that, but it felt wrong. Richie wouldn’t do that, if he were here, he’d be by his wife’s side day and night if he was able.

It was at night when Fonzie stopped by Lori Beth’s room. She was going over Richie’s latest letter; she liked to read it once to the Cunninghams and then bring it back and read it herself.

He sat down at Richie’s desk. “You pick out a name yet?”

She folded up Richie’s letter and put it back in the envelope. She liked to be neat about these things. It was something she has in common with Richie.

“You’re up late for someone who has to teach tomorrow,” she commented. “Did your date leave early?”

Fonzie shrugged. “I was alone. I figured you’d want some company if you were still up.”

Lori Beth glanced down at the ground, face slightly red. She didn’t say anything, but as she tapped a finger against the bedspread Fonzie got the sense she was building up to something.

“You don’t have to do this,” she said after several minutes of silence. She didn’t look up at Fonzie. “I only asked you to go to the classes with me. I know you’d rather be on a date or something.”

“Hey,” Fonzie said. “There is nowhere else I’d rather be right now. I can go out anytime. This? This is once in a lifetime.”

Lori Beth did look up at that, eyes wide with surprise and no small amount of curiosity. Then she smiled.

After that, they kept going to birthing classes, and Fonzie kept stopping by Lori Beth’s at night and sticking around to talk if she was still up. They even started talking about things not related to the pregnancy and the baby, sometimes (but not Richie. They’re not at that point yet).

By the time the baby is due, Fonzie would go as far as to say he sort of likes Lori Beth now.

——

Once Richie Jr. came into the world, everyone pitched in to look after the kid, and Fonzie did his part. Sure, the kid has an entire extended family to look after him, but Fonzie wasn’t going to just forget about his best friend’s baby, or his best friend’s wife who is sort of his friend now.

It’s a hell of a time to find out that Lori Beth knows.

After that first awkward conversation about Richie, they didn’t talk about him again, unless it’s about one of his letters or phone calls or everyone else is around. That way, they kept things at a safe distance. Whatever Lori Beth knew, she wasn’t going to bring it up just yet.

It was always obvious when she was thinking about it; every time Fonzie (and only Fonzie) so much as mentioned Richie, she’d get a little glint in her eyes and her lips would purse like she was holding back what she wanted to say.

Fonzie didn’t press her for anything. If she has something she wants to say, she’ll say it. This sort-of friendship they have is fragile, and almost definitely not built to last.

——

Eventually, Lori Beth got the go-ahead to stay on the army base with Richie. The entire Cunningham clan saw her off at the airport, hugging her one after another. Howard’s was brief, but warm. Marion’s was tight and tear-stained. Joanie’s was sisterly and affectionate.

Surprisingly, when it was Fonzie’s turn, Lori Beth hugged him first.


	4. Chapter 4

Lori Beth had gone down to the kitchen for a glass of water. Fonzie was already there, sitting at the table.

It was the first time they’d been alone together since Lori Beth and Richie had returned to Milwaukee. Lori Beth had been busy with Marion and Joanie and Richie Jr., and Fonzie had been busy with Richie. It was nice to get a chance to catch up.

“Mind if I join you?”

Fonzie acknowledged her with a slight nod, which Lori Beth interpreted as a go-ahead. She had just sat down when Fonzie asked “You’re happy here, right?”

Lori Beth nodded, without entirely thinking it through. Of course she was happy here. Everyone was together for the first time. Everything fit.

Before, when Richie had been gone, Lori Beth had felt like an extra piece in an already finished jigsaw puzzle. It had gotten a little better when Richie Jr. had been born, but even then Lori Beth hadn’t felt quite right, and she couldn’t articulate why, because the Cunninghams had been nothing but wonderful to her.

At the army base, it had been the opposite problem. Everything was orderly and regimented, a place for everything and everything in its place. Lori Beth felt like she should have liked it more than she did; she liked the other army wives and Richie’s fellow soldiers well enough, and she was more than happy that Richie Jr. would actually get to know his father during his formative years. But an army base didn’t feel like the right place to raise a child, especially once she and Richie conceived again, and Lori Beth had found herself counting down the days until Richie’s service was over and they could go home.

And now they were home, and together, and everything was going to be perfect.

Except Richie didn’t really want to be here.

He’d been hiding it, and hiding it well enough, but every smile was forced, every little setback seemed to get under his skin, and every time Lori Beth asked him if something was wrong he denied it. Lori Beth hadn’t pressed the matter, because she wanted to believe, more than anything, that if Richie was going through something she would be the first person he’d tell.

Maybe she had been wrong.

“Is this about Richie?” asked Lori Beth.

Fonzie just stared at her.

“Look, I know he’s been...a little touchy, but he just got back after three years in the army. He just needs to readjust.”

She raised the glass to her lips, and abruptly stopped before she could drink.

“Unless - you know something?”

Fonzie stared at the table and inhaled sharply. “He wants to move to California and write movies.”

There’s a trace of bitterness in Fonzie’s voice. Normally, Lori Beth might be slightly cheered by that - look who’s not so invincible after all - but all she can think about is that Richie hadn’t told her. He’d told Fonzie, but not her. He was miserable and snapping at everyone and he wouldn’t tell Lori Beth why.

On some level, Lori Beth had always known this was coming. She’d known it would hurt, too, not that knowing that helped.

She thought she’d feel angry, or sad, or something. Instead she just felt exhausted.  
Her throat suddenly felt very dry, though she didn’t feel well enough to drink anything. The only thing that made her feel better was that Fonzie looked just as terrible as she felt. It was - not heartening, exactly, but maybe it was true what they said about misery loving company. She and Fonzie had this much in common, knowing the man they loved was unhappy and closed off.

Something occurred to Lori Beth, and she asked “Did he ask you to come with us?”

Fonzie looked at Lori Beth like she had just grown a second head.

“Course not. Why would he?”

“You know I know why he would.”

It felt strange to admit as much out loud. Fonzie’s eyebrows twitched ever so slightly, but he was otherwise unaffected.

“They’ve got cars out there, too, you know,” Lori Beth prompted.

When Fonzie didn’t answer, she asked point-blank “Do you want to come with us?”

Fonzie’s eyes widened, and he practically leapt out of his chair, knocking it over in the process.

“What are you, _nuts_?”

He didn’t wait for Lori Beth to answer before he began pacing the kitchen.

“I have the shop, and Patton, and - I can’t just up and leave Mr. and Mrs. C.”

“Fonzie -“ Lori Beth began to say before he interrupted her.

“I’m going to bed. Some of us have work tomorrow.”

He slammed the door behind him, leaving Lori Beth alone in the kitchen.

——

Richie was still in bed when Lori Beth got back upstairs. He was also still awake, staring up at the ceiling with a determined expression from the cot Howard had dragged up for him. Richie’s own bed was only big enough for one person, and Lori Beth was pregnant, after all.

Lori Beth was pretty sure Richie hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since they got back to Milwaukee, and she wasn’t sure how much of that was the cot’s fault.

On a whim, Lori Beth sat next to Richie. He sat up to look at her, his eyes unfocused and drowsy.

Richie Jr. was asleep in the same room, so they’d have to be quiet. That was probably for the best; Lori Beth wasn’t in the mood for a shouting match.

“Were you ever going to tell me about wanting to go to Hollywood? Or write movies?”

Richie’s eyes widened in panic, and his lips parted slightly. Lori Beth took a little more pleasure in it than was probably healthy.

Richie quickly composed himself. “It doesn’t matter. We’re not going.”

That was how he wanted to play it? Fine. Lori Beth wasn’t going to back down that easily.

“You never told me you wanted to write movies.”

“I didn’t think you’d understand.”

“I’m your wife. I’ll always be behind you. I just want to know what it is I’m behind.”

Richie cast his eyes down and didn’t say anything.

“I asked Fonzie to come with us,” Lori Beth said. Maybe she had just wanted to get a reaction out of Richie.

Richie furrowed his brow in confusion - Lori Beth wasn’t sure if it was real or affected. He had to know what she was talking about.

“He said no,” Lori Beth continued as casually as she could.

“Why would you do that?” Richie asked, too genuinely nervous to be a demand.

 _Because you’re in love with him._ “He was there when I was pregnant with Junior. Maybe he’s like my good luck charm.”

“He was there because I wasn’t.” He rested his hand on Lori Beth’s stomach.

“If you asked him, he’d probably say yes,” Lori Beth said quietly. “After all, you’re the one he’s in love with.”

Richie’s face turned white. A few of the littler hairs of his mustache started standing on edge, and he suddenly lost the ability to look Lori Beth in the eye, even as his hand stayed on her stomach.

Lori Beth waited for Richie to calm down, and eventually he worked up the nerve to actually look at her.

“What - what did he tell you?”

“He didn’t tell me anything. I figured it out on my own. I had to.”

“You’ve got it all wrong -“

He abruptly stopped before he could get any louder and glanced at Junior, then back at Lori Beth.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Good night.”

“Richie -“

“Good night.”

Lori Beth resisted the urge to grab Richie’s pillow from under him and throw it at him. 

Maybe tomorrow they could have a real conversation once he’d cooled off.

——

Richie didn’t cool off. He just kept stewing, until one day he stormed out of the house, right past Lori Beth without so much as a goodbye.

It was terrifying, and Lori Beth kept cycling through blame. It was Howard and Marion’s fault for making Richie feel uncomfortable, it was her fault for bringing up Hollywood a week ago, it was Fonzie’s fault for telling her, it was Richie’s fault for bottling this up for god knew how long.

Howard and Marion took it in stride once they heard Fonzie was going after him. Junior did too, given that he was only three.

Joanie offered to stay with Lori Beth, and it was nice to have company even though Lori Beth didn’t feel like she could go into details about - well, anything. “I’m afraid that I never really knew your brother before I married him” didn’t seem appropriate to say right now.

Richie did come back, eventually, because Fonzie brought him back, Richie’s arm slung over his shoulder in an affectionate gesture that ended as soon as he saw Lori Beth sitting on his bed.

Fonzie left without a single word, though he met Lori Beth’s gaze for a split second and nodded. Joanie stood up and patted Lori Beth on the shoulder, before fixing Richie with a death glare as she followed Fonzie out.

The door closed behind her, and Richie sat down next to Lori Beth on the bed, not quite looking her in the eye. He had calmed down, at least, lost some of the twitchy energy he’d had all this time.

“I should’ve told you sooner about wanting to be a screenwriter,” he began. “And I know you’ve got your heart set on living here -“

“I have my heart set on living with you,” Lori Beth said. “And you’d be miserable if we stayed here.”  
She took him by the hand and squeezed. “I think I could be happy in Hollywood. I wouldn’t know if we never tried it.”

Richie smiled, slowly, his posture relaxing a little. “You’re really something, you know that?”

“I know,” Lori Beth rested her head on Richie’s shoulder. “We could have avoided all this if you’d just told me everything from the start.”

“Yeah,” Richie murmured. “There’s a lot that I haven’t told you.”

Lori Beth lifted her head to look Richie in the eye. He seemed a little flustered by the sudden eye contact, and swallowed before inhaling sharply and saying “A while ago, you said you thought I was - I was a little in love with Fonzie. And I was.”

Except for the traces of nervousness around his eyes, Richie looked dead serious.

“Was?” Lori Beth repeated.

“Was.”

“You just...stopped, one day?”

“I grew out of it.”

“I didn’t think it was something you could grow out of.”

“I was - confused, is all. Anything that happened was a mistake. For both of us. It was only once, and it never happened again.”

He paused to breath before adding “I - I made a pass at him before I shipped out, but I was drunk and nervous and he was there and nothing happened. He turned me down.” He squeezed her hand. “You’d be right to be mad at me.”

Lori Beth laughed a little, not that she found it particularly funny. “Oh, I am.”

“I know what I want now,” Richie said, quietly and decisively. “I love you.”

In spite of herself, Lori Beth smiled.

“I love you too. Whatever happened, or whatever is going to happen, I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

——

It was on the plane to California that Richie said “Fonzie said he loves me.”

He spoke quietly, almost at a whisper, and Lori Beth initially thought she had imagined it. But there was no imagining the look on Richie’s face, afraid and confused and a little longing all at once.

“What did you say?” she whispered back.

“I - didn’t say anything. He left before I could.”

“I meant what I said,” Lori Beth murmured. “If you asked him to come with us, I think he’d do it.”

Richie didn’t answer her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fonzie’s statement at the beginning of the chapter is a direct quote from “Passages Part 2.” I’m including the video of it here because the first two times I watched the episode, it was a version that, for whatever reason, cut it. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2qnkn

Something about Richie seemed different since he showed up at the wedding, and it finally hit Fonzie as they talked after the ceremony: Richie was happy. Not like the last time Fonzie saw him, putting on a brave face for his family and friends, trying to fit into the life he’d outgrown years ago - he was genuinely happy.

Fonzie was glad for him. Glad that it wasn’t all for nothing, that at least when this is all over he’ll at least know Richie is happy where he is, even if it’s not with Fonzie.

Danny was slightly wary of Richie at first, but he gets past it the minute Fonzie introduces him as his friend.

“Never thought I’d see the day,” Richie said, smiling brightly. “The Fonz, a family man.” He raises his glass in a mock toast.

Fonzie took the gentle teasing in stride and smiled back. “I know, but what's amazing is that ten years ago when we first met, I was gonna pound you in some alley. And here we are at your sister's wedding.”

Something flickered across Richie’s eyes, almost sad, which didn’t make any sense because what’s Richie got to be sad about? He’s got his family, his new career, he’s been in Hollywood long enough that he’s probably got his home set up.

Richie’s about to say something when Howard speaks up to give a toast.

——

After the toast, Joanie waved Richie over to talk to her, and he excused himself from Fonzie and Danny to go to her. They hugged as soon as they get close enough, because they hadn’t seen each other in months.

Fonzie watched them until a cough caught his attention. He turned, and there was Lori Beth, looking genuinely happy to see him. As much as Fonzie didn’t want to admit it, he was happy to see her too. There had been letters and phone calls, but they’d been few and far between. Richie had been busy with trying to sell screenplays, Lori Beth with Richie Jr. and the new baby, Fonzie with the shop and Arnold’s and teaching.

“How’s Mary?”

”Wonderful,” Lori Beth said, smiling fondly. “Richie Junior’s already trying to be the best big brother he can be. He wasn’t too happy about being left with a sitter, but it’s only for a couple of days. Oh, and Richie sold his first screenplay a few days ago - he’ll tell you all about it as soon as he can.”

She glanced at Danny, who had been staring at her slightly warily the entire time.

“Danny, this is Lori Beth. She’s an...old friend.”

Danny seemed to accept that, and he even waved back a little when Lori Beth waved at him.

“Lori Beth, this is Danny, my son.”

He couldn’t stop himself from grinning like an idiot as he said “my son.” It had seemed impossible after a while, after false starts like Maureen and Pinky and Peggy and Ashley, after deciding that he wasn’t cut out for marriage or kids or anything like that.

It’s the only time he’ll admit to being wrong and be happy about it.

A hand rested on Fonzie’s shoulder, and he turned his head to see Richie.

“Can I talk to Fonzie? Inside?”

Fonzie glanced at Danny, who paused in consideration before nodding.

“Stay with Lori Beth,” Fonzie said as he stood up and followed Richie towards the Cunninghams’ backdoor.

Richie closed the door behind them once they were inside. He didn’t say anything at first - whatever he wanted to say, he was apparently content to wait and just look at Fonzie, from a safe, platonic distance.

Fonzie broke the silence. “Heard you sold your first screenplay.”

Richie grinned, his whole face practically lighting up in pride. Fonzie’s chest clenched.

“Yeah. Production’s starting in a couple of months. It's nothing big, just a B-movie, but we got to move into an actual house. Junior and Mary have their own rooms now.” His smile faded a little, becoming quieter, if no less beautiful.

“I moved out a while ago,” Fonzie admitted. “Singles apartment. And now I’m buying a house.”

“For Danny.”

“Yeah. Singles apartment’s not great for raisin’ a kid.”

Richie chuckled and slipped his hands into his pockets. “I guess that answers what I was going to ask you.”

Fonzie didn’t falter. “You’ve got me alone. Might as well go ahead and ask.”

Richie flushed a little and cleared his throat. “Me and Lori Beth - Lori Beth and I are heading back to California tomorrow. And we thought that maybe you’d want to come back with us.”

Fonzie’s first instinct was to ask if Richie had lost his goddamn mind. That was what he’d done when Lori Beth asked him before, and he’d meant it. There were a hundred things tying him down to Milwaukee. He couldn’t just pack up and move across the country like some people had, and he almost said so out loud.

But it was different coming from Richie. Or maybe it wasn’t different, it just felt different when Richie was standing in front of him and looking at him plaintively, almost desperately.

“And you obviously can’t,” Richie continued. “Because it’s short notice, and you’ve got everything and everyone here. But I think - I think you’d like it out there. And Mary - you’d like Mary, I know you would, and she’d like you - and Danny would love it out there, I know he would, and - Fonz.”

Without thinking about it, Fonzie reached out and took Richie by the hands. He wanted to calm him down. That was all.

“I want you there,” Richie eventually said quietly but firmly. “I want you there with me.”

And then Richie kissed him.

Fonzie’s grasp on Richie’s hands loosened in surprise, allowing Richie to slip them out and bring them up to Fonzie’s neck so he could carefully cup Fonzie’s jaw.

It’s a little strange, kissing someone with a mustache, the hairs tickling his upper lip.

It’s not unpleasant, though. Far from it.

With his hands free, Fonzie rested them against Richie’s hips and resisted the urge to run them up and down Richie’s sides.

Richie pulled back and leaned his forehead against Fonzie’s, and Fonzie could feel Richie’s heartbeat through his clothes, or maybe it was just his.

“Just think about it,” Richie asked. “For me?”

“I don’t think your wife would be very happy about that,” Fonzie replied, because Lori Beth was right outside, and so was most of Richie’s immediate and extended family, and a decent amount of Fonzie’s.

“It was her idea for me to ask you,” Richie said as the door opened behind them, and Marion said “There you are!”

Fonzie let go of Richie, who stepped back half a foot. Marion apparently didn’t think anything was strange - at the very least, she didn’t say anything about it.

“Joanie wants to dance with her big brother.”

——

They went back outside, just enough distance between them that Richie could brush his fingers against the back of Fonzie’s hand.

Fonzie didn’t react. He didn’t even allow himself to look at Richie until Joanie had already pulled him over to dance and Fonzie was back with Danny and Lori Beth.

He couldn’t believe what Richie had said to him. He couldn’t believe that Richie was lying to him, either. Not about something this big.

Or he just didn’t want to believe that. Hollywood can’t have changed Richie that fast or that much.

It wouldn’t be the first time Lori Beth had suggested it. But the first time had been when her marriage was in a rocky place. She hadn’t been thinking straight, she’d just wanted to spite Richie because she felt betrayed. She didn’t actually want to bring Fonzie along. She’d have to be insane to think that was a good idea.

He would’ve asked her point-blank if Danny hadn’t been right there, and Fonzie wasn’t going to leave him again even for a moment. Danny had been alone for so long before this.

Lori Beth noticed that something was off and asked “Penny for your thoughts?”

“Richie asked me to do something,” Fonzie said. “Something he said was your idea.”

Lori Beth grinned, a little smugly, but it faded as she realized Fonzie didn’t think this was funny.

“What’d he ask you to do?” Danny asked.

“It doesn’t matter,” Fonzie said, looking at Danny before his gaze returned to Lori Beth. “Because it’s a long shot, and Richie knew it.”

None of them spoke for a while. Danny kept looking between Fonzie and Lori Beth, brow furrowed in concentration. Fonzie was tempted to just tell him everything, but Danny was probably better off not knowing.

“All he meant -“ Lori Beth started, stopped, and started again. “All we mean is that we’d be happy to have you if you did want to. And we thought that even if you said no -“ She shrugged. “It wouldn’t hurt to ask.”

Fonzie didn’t say anything.

“At the very least,” Lori Beth continued. “You should come see us off at the airport tomorrow. Everyone else will probably be there.”

“Course I’ll be there,” Fonzie responded instinctively. “What kind of friend wouldn’t?”

Lori Beth smiled in agreement and took a drink.

——

After the wedding, Fonzie and Danny drove home on Fonzie’s bike. Fonzie hadn’t gotten the house yet, but Danny would probably be fine in the singles apartment for one night.

He successfully put Richie and Lori Beth and all of that out of his mind, right until they reached home, and Fonzie remembered what Richie had said about Danny liking it in Hollywood.

“You like it in Milwaukee?” he asked.

Danny’s nose wrinkled in concentration as he sling his leg over the bike. Once both his feet were on the ground, he replied “Yeah. Why? Do you like it here?”

“Course I do,” Fonzie replied as he got off his bike. And it was true, mostly - Fonzie had lived in Milwaukee all his life, and he was perfectly content there, and he probably would be for the rest of his life.

Sure, when he was younger, he’d imagined packing up and leaving any day now, just him and his bike and the open road. He’d never gotten around to it, because he’d never had any real idea of where to go. And now he can’t go, not unless he wants to turn his back on everyone who’s counting on him. He’d been fine with that until now.

It’s Richie’s fault. Richie’s the one who pulled him out of the Falcons, who got him to move in over the Cunninghams’ garage, who got him invested in Joanie and Marion and Howard’s lives.

It was a straight line from there to where Fonzie was now, an upstanding member of the community, the kind of guy people depended on, a father.

And now Richie wanted Fonzie to leave all that behind. Because Richie had asked him to.

Fonzie wished Richie had just punched him again. It probably would have hurt less.

Danny lightly tapped his arm to get his attention.  
“Why’d you ask me if I like it here? It because of that Richie guy asking you to move with him?”

“How’d you know about that?”

“Lori Beth said they’d be happy to have you with ‘em.”

Fonzie was, reluctantly, impressed. “You’re a smart kid.”

Danny nodded at the compliment. “Why’d you tell him no?”

“Because I’d be taking you away from the only city you’ve ever lived in. And I’d be abandoning Patton, and Arnold’s, and - and everyone.”

The worst part was that despite all that, Fonzie was seriously considering it. He’d be leaving everything he’d built behind to follow his married best friend across the country, all because he couldn’t stop thinking about Richie admitting that he wanted Fonzie there with him.

“I wouldn’t mind going if you wanted to go,” Danny said.

“I’m not going to move you across the country right after you’ve gotten settled in, alright?”

“I’m not that settled in,” Danny said. “I haven’t even moved in with you yet.”

“Yeah, so now’s not a great time to move you across the country.”

“Are you only staying here because you feel like you have to?”

“Hey.” Fonzie hugged him. “Of course not. I like it here, alright?” He let go and patted Danny on the shoulder.

Danny nodded, but didn’t quite look Fonzie in the eye as they went inside.

——

It wasn’t that Fonzie couldn’t get to sleep; he just didn’t even bother. Danny had his bed for the night, until they could get him one of his own, and Fonzie had the couch.

He sat down and thought about the day Richie had left for basic training. Richie only looked him in the eye once the entire time, after he’d hugged Howard and Marion and Joanie and then Marion again goodbye. He looked almost apologetic as he hugged Fonzie, and Fonzie didn’t know if he was sorry for leaving or for making a pass at him the night before. Or for not doing it sooner. Or for what happened after graduation in the first place.  
Then he’d kissed Lori Beth goodbye, longer than really seemed necessary, and then he left for three years.

It would probably happen more or less the same way again this time. Maybe every time Richie was going to leave town on a plane he’d make a pass at Fonzie that wouldn’t go anywhere just to keep things interesting.

Halfway through the night, Fonzie considered calling up Richie and calmly explaining that he couldn’t go to Hollywood with him and Lori Beth. If Richie pressed him, Fonzie would go into detail about why, and eventually, Richie would have to admit that Fonzie had been right the whole time, as he usually was.

But Richie and Lori Beth were staying at a motel, so Fonzie had no idea how to contact them. That was probably for the best. And Mr. and Mrs. C would be asleep by now, and Fonzie wasn’t going to interrupt them in the middle of the night.

Fonzie called up the next best person.

Within minutes, Roger had picked up the phone. He yawned, and groaned, and then he finally said something.

“Hello?”

“Patton needs me, right?”

“Fonzie? It’s - it’s two in the morning.”

“I asked you first.”

“Okay, okay, just let me -“ He shifted in his bed. “Yes, Patton needs you. We’d probably fall apart if you ever left us. Is that what you needed to hear?”

“What do you mean, needed to hear?”

“I don’t think you would have called me if it wasn’t serious.” Roger yawned. “Did another school offer you a position? Was it Marquette?”

“No, it wasn’t Marquette -“

“Because non-co-educational schools are fundamentally flawed -“

“You’ve brought this up before -“

“If you want to leave, I understand, but don’t do it for Marquette -“

“Will you shut up about Marquette?” Fonzie snapped, a little more forcefully than he meant to. He glanced behind him to check on Danny, but he was still fast asleep. Thank God.

“Was it University Lake -“

“It wasn’t a school.” Fonzie breathed out sharply. “Richie asked me to move to Hollywood with him and Lori Beth.”

Roger paused, and then said “Oh.”

Fonzie looked at the phone in disbelief for a second before he said back “Oh?”

“Nothing, it’s just - it makes sense. More sense than what I initially assumed.”

How much did Roger know? Fonzie hadn’t exactly been shy about saying Richie was his best friend even when Richie was off in Greenland. Had Roger guessed about - everything else?

“You haven’t given him an answer yet?” Roger prompted. “Or you told him no, and you’re reconsidering, and that’s why you called me.”

Fonzie didn’t say anything.

“I was being somewhat hyperbolic before. It would be possible for Patton to survive without you. It’d be difficult, yes, but we’ll adapt. If you want to leave -“

“I don’t.”

“Then why did you call me at two in the morning to ask?”

“I wanted to make sure.”

“Alright.”

“Yeah.”

“Can I go back to sleep now?”

Fonzie hung up the phone.

——

The next day, before they left, Fonzie asked Danny “You mean what you said about wanting to move to Hollywood?”

“I don’t care where I am as long as I’m with you,” Danny replied, and he sounded like he meant it.

——

Fonzie’s plan had been to show up at the airport, wait until everyone else had said their goodbyes, then talk to Richie and Lori Beth where they could sort of be alone. Joanie and Chachi were headed to the train station for their honeymoon in Chicago after Richie and Lori Beth were set to fly back to Hollywood.

It meant most of the goodbyes had to be cut short, but it gave Fonzie an easy opening.

Marion was the last one to leave, hugging Richie one last time before Howard pulled her away.

Danny suddenly become very interested in the soda machine. He briefly looked over at Richie and Lori Beth, then at Fonzie, before he went back to staring at the price of Spring Cola like he was trying to memorize it.

Richie didn’t look surprised to see Fonzie, and neither did Lori Beth. None of them said anything at first, and it took Fonzie a second longer than it should have to realize that they were waiting for him to talk first.

“I was thinking about what you said,” Fonzie began. “And I just wanna know - why?”

Richie’s eyebrows raised. It was the only sign of any surprise.

“I’ve been in love with you since I was seventeen,” he said. “I figure that’s reason enough.”

He looked right at Fonzie as he spoke, without any trace of fear or hesitation or awkwardness. Richie had this way of cutting through Fonzie’s defenses and layers of cool, of making him feel - grounded, almost.

It was a little disarming, to say the least.

Fonzie said to Lori Beth “And you -?”

“We’ve talked about it,” Lori Beth said. “And we’ve decided - together - that we’d be happier if you were with us. I kind of like having you around. And Richie really likes having you around.” She lightly elbowed Richie in the arm. Richie chuckled softly.

Fonzie cracked a smile in response. It faded before he answered. “I can’t go with you.”

Lori Beth crossed her arms and started to say “Are you sure -?” as Richie looked down in disappointment, but not surprise. He was a sensible guy, he probably knew this was a long shot even as he hoped Fonzie would say yes.

“Not right now, at least,” Fonzie added.

Lori Beth smiled knowingly as Richie looked back up, eyes wide.

“I have to sell my shares in Arnold’s, and sell the garage, and find someone to take my place at Patton, first.”

“How long do you think that’ll take?” Richie was trying to sound calm, but there was undeniably excitement in his voice.

Fonzie shrugged. “Six months, give or take.”

“Six months,” Richie repeated.

Lori Beth glanced behind them. “The plane’s loading.”

“I guess this is goodbye for now,” Richie said without looking away from Fonzie. Fonzie expected him to turn and go, but before he did, Richie moved closer and kissed Fonzie on the cheek.

It lasted three seconds at most, but that was a full second longer than they usually lasted. (Maybe? Most of Fonzie’s experience with kisses on the cheek were from Marion, and that wasn’t anywhere near the same thing as this.)

He stepped back, grinning a little shyly, a little daringly, before he turned and ran for the plane, glancing back at Fonzie over his shoulder for a split second. Lori Beth waved goodbye at Fonzie before she turned and ran out with her husband.  
Fonzie had to stop himself from touching the spot where Richie‘s lips had touched him, like a kid with his first crush.

But he didn’t bother to hide his smile as he went to get Danny so they could go home and start packing, and Fonzie could tell Mr. and Mrs. C the good news.


End file.
